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Thread ID: 50443 2004-10-20 21:05:00 Trouble with emergency boot disk Win 95b Randolf (75) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
283115 2004-10-20 21:05:00 When testing, the screen prints up a few details re. drivers, then stops on "A:\>". The boot order in the BIOS is A,C. What am I doing wrong? Randolf (75)
283116 2004-10-20 21:30:00 Nothing - that is what it does. It expects you to type in a command. If you want to carry on, something like C: then win if you want windows, or if the disc has CD drivers on D: for that drive.
Bye
Peter H (220)
283117 2004-10-21 01:38:00 Right......Thanks - I'd better swat up my DOS commands then! :8} Randolf (75)
283118 2004-10-21 02:04:00 As a first step it would be a really good idea to learn how to backup and to restore the registry in Win95.

support.microsoft.com

In Win98 there is a program called scanreg that can be run from dos to do the same job, but win95 is not so convenient.

Some of the basic dos commands that are really important include copy, rename, attribute.
Having a dos text editor is also a good idea for working with files.
Terry Porritt (14)
283119 2004-10-21 02:23:00 Randolph - Here is a list of DOS commands:-

www.computerhope.com

Good luck

V...
Valerie (4740)
283120 2004-10-21 09:25:00 Thanks for this. I run ERU on a regular basis, retaining the two most recent folders. I hope this creates adequate registry backup? Randolf (75)
283121 2004-10-21 21:29:00 I used to use ERU, it is a good method of backing up as it also includes other system files like system.ini and win.ini.

It is best to use a bootable floppy to put ERU on, ie a floppy that has had just the system transfered to by the command format a: /s

This gives about 1MB of free disk space for the backup files, whereas using an emergency startup disk created via windows only has about 500KB free space due to all the other files on the disk, and this limits the number of backup files.

Another utility in Win 95 is cfgback.exe which is in other\misc\cfgback folder on the install CD (or something like that).
This utility is run from windows and just saves the registry files, but you can save numerous successive copies.

Then as a last resort if your ERU disk develops a bad sector 0, copy the hidden system.da0 and user.da0 over system.dat and user.dat. The .da0 registry files are created each time windows is started successfully.
This is where the copy, ren, and attribute dos commands are used.
Terry Porritt (14)
283122 2004-10-22 01:12:00 > It is best to use a bootable floppy to put ERU on, ie
> a floppy that has had just the system transfered to
> by the command format a: /s

Many thanks for your comments, which as a learner I am finding of great value. I don't fully understand the above though, could you please expand a little?
Randolf (75)
283123 2004-10-22 01:19:00 Boot from your floppy - remove it & and put another one in. At the A prompt type "format a: /s" without the " "
Bye
Peter H (220)
283124 2004-10-22 03:42:00 Er, Peter, the original startup disk with format.com on it should be left in the floppy drive when issuing the format a: /s command, and then replace it with a blank floppy when it says so.

Otherwise the format command can't be made from the blank floppy :)

The startup disk made from windows contains lots of files, such as CDROM drivers.

To use ERU you need as much spare space as possible on the floppy to hold the backed up files, that why a bare bones boot disk is prefered.
Terry Porritt (14)
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